Board approves DHS Phase II bid of nearly $9.3 million

The De Soto USD 232 Board of Education approved a total bid of $9,298,917 for Phase II of the De Soto High School construction project on Monday evening.

The bid, which was broken down into more than 20 work packages, can be covered completely with the leftover money from Phase I construction, which was $9.7 million. The board approved the final site design back in March of this year with instruction that bids were not to exceed $9.3 million.

While the total bid for the project is just shy of $9.3 million, the project will actually cost the district even less as approximately $827,000 will be reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency for the storm shelter that is included in the design.

The board also approved an alternate bid of $42,295 for new speakers to be installed in the current gymnasium at the school, which will become the alternate gymnasium once construction is complete.

Little discussion occurred before the board approved the bids 6-1. Board member Randy Johnson was the sole disenting vote.